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Saturday, January 25, 2014

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks = Week #4; Helen Coyle; My Nana

This prompt comes from Amy Johnson Crow at her blog, No Story Too Small. She suggests we “write once a week about a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, a research problem — any that focuses on that one ancestor.” Thanks, Amy, for the suggestion!

I have decided to begin with my grandparents and to work back in time to my great grandparents, etc. Here is my maternal grandmother, my much loved Nana.

Helen F (Coyle) Gardner

9 January 1897 NY – 13 October
1965 NY

My Maternal Grandmother

The Gardner Family

Helen was born[1]
and lived most of her life in New York City. She was the daughter of MichaelCoyle & Mary Josephine Mullane. Helen was the oldest of seven children. Her
siblings were: Francis, Marion, Marguerite, Thomas, Lillian & Kathleen.

In 1900 the Michael Coyle family
was living at 159 113th Street, Manhattan. Michael was a baker.[2]The Coyle family was renting a home on Third
Avenue in 1910 when the U. S. Census was taken again. Michael was 39 and Mary 38. He was listed as a baker in a bakery. Four
children were at home: Helen, 13; Marion, 10; Margaret, 8; and Thomas, 7 years
old.[3]

My Nana, Helen Coyle
Gardner, used to tell me many stories about the adventures of the five Coyle
sisters. To me the stories of these sisters were wonderful, magical tales that
would transport me back in time to the streets of New York City. Perhaps it is the Coyle sisters’ same love of
storytelling that impels me to share these stories. Here is one of those
stories.

New York City was
divided into neighborhoods. The Coyles lived in an Irish neighborhood. One day
the girls were invited to visit a friend who lived in ‘Little Italy’. Helen,
Marion and Margie brushed their hair, put on their best frocks, and set out for
a nice visit. Their friend was glad to see them. She introduced the girls to
her family and invited them to sit in the parlor. Parlors were living rooms
that were used only for company and special occasions. Everything was kept neat
and clean and children were not allowed to play there. The sisters felt like
young ladies being entertained in the parlor. Conversations with the family
were difficult. The Coyle sisters could not understand their girlfriend’s parents
who spoke only Italian. The girls smiled, nodded and relied on their friend to
translate. The sisters were always on their best behavior.

In Italian tradition,
the girls were each given a small pretty glass with wine in it. They smiled and
took the beverage but when they realized it was wine they were shocked. The
Irish girls were never allowed to drink wine. At their house a guest would be
given tea. They whispered together trying to decide what to do. They did not want to insult their friend by refusing
to drink the wine. But they knew their friend’s parents would be upset if they
did drink it. Marion had an idea. They waited till their hosts were out of the
room. The girls were seated on a sofa in front of a large picture window. It
seemed like the perfect solution. At the right time they flung the wine at the
window - but - my Great Aunt Marion laughed as she told me - the window was
closed! It was so clean it just looked
open! The sisters would laugh in later years as they remembered their
adventure.[4]

In 1910[5] and 1915[6] the Michael Coyle family
rented an apartment on Third Avenue in Manhattan. The children lived at home
and went to school. In 1920 they were living at 223 E 113th Street
in Manhattan.[7]

Helen found a job at the
Western Union Telegraph Company where she earned $12 a week. She had to bring her pay home to their mother
who kept $11 and let Helen keep $1 a week.[8] Her boss was NathanielGardner who had worked for the Western Union since he was a delivery boy. He
flirted with Helen, teased her and gave her flowers. On 9 May 1921 Helen &
Nathaniel Gardner were married.[9] Helen continued to work
until their only child was born. Alberta Joy Gardner was born 26 March 1928 in
the Bronx.[10]

In 1940 the Gardners
were living at 2856 East 197th Street in the Bronx. Nathaniel was
still working at Western Union and Joy was going to school.[11] Nathaniel was not well
and his doctor said his health would improve if he would move to the country.
In 1941 the Gardners bought a house in Columbia Co., NY. Nathaniel worked in NY
City and took the train north on weekends. He planned to retire and live in the
country full time but World War II began and telegraphs were important for
communication so he kept working. On 7 December 1944 Nathaniel died. Helen and
Joy were heartbroken. They decided to stay in the country rather than return to
New York City.

Helen, who had been a
city girl, learned about country life. She raised chickens, planted a vegetable
garden and learned the names of all the birds around her house. She raised her
daughter alone and they always remained very close.

Helen died 13 October
1965.[12] She was buried beside her
husband with a stone that simply says: Mother. Her love and laughter are still
missed today.

[1]Certificate and Record of Birth;
1897; City of NY Depart of
Health, State of NY, Manhattan, #2566; Nellie Coyle, born 9 Jan 1897.

1 comment:

A beautiful collection of stories! Oh, if only we could do a little time travel to be there when the wine hit the window. Whose reaction would have been more shocking, more funny -- the girls' or the parents'?

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